From the staggering $9 billion at the domestic box office to the seismic shift where streaming revenue surpassed $50 billion, Hollywood in 2023 was an industry of extremes, battling post-pandemic recovery while being reshaped by new viewing habits and the relentless demand for blockbuster franchises.
Key Takeaways
- In 2023, the Hollywood box office grossed $9 billion domestically, representing 25% of the global total of $33.9 billion.
- Marvel Cinematic Universe films have cumulatively earned over $29.7 billion worldwide as of 2024.
- The 2023 domestic box office for PG-13 rated films reached $4.2 billion, accounting for 47% of total ticket sales.
- In 2023, 550 Hollywood films were released theatrically worldwide.
- Average production budget for top 100 Hollywood films in 2023 was $165 million excluding marketing.
- Netflix produced 348 original films and series in 2023, more than any traditional studio.
- Nielsen measured 2023 U.S. TV viewing at 12 hours 37 minutes per day per person.
- Streaming captured 38.7% of total TV usage in U.S. households in February 2024.
- The Super Bowl LVIII drew 123.4 million U.S. viewers in 2024, highest ever.
- In 2023, Hollywood employed 2.7 million workers across film and TV.
- California film/TV jobs totaled 777,000 in 2022, supporting $122 billion economy.
- VFX artists in Hollywood numbered 45,000 in 2023, with 60% freelancers.
- In 2023, women comprised 24% of Hollywood directors on top 250 films.
- People of color directed only 19% of top theatrical films in 2023.
- LGBTQ+ characters appeared in 12% of Hollywood TV series in 2023.
Hollywood rebounded in 2023, led by massive box office hits like *Barbie* and *Oppenheimer*, while streaming services continued to dominate audience viewing habits.
Audience Viewership
- Nielsen measured 2023 U.S. TV viewing at 12 hours 37 minutes per day per person.
- Streaming captured 38.7% of total TV usage in U.S. households in February 2024.
- The Super Bowl LVIII drew 123.4 million U.S. viewers in 2024, highest ever.
- Netflix's average U.S. household viewership was 2 hours per day in 2023.
- 2023 primetime TV audience averaged 29.5 million viewers for top networks.
- YouTube overtook Netflix as top streaming service for U.S. 18-34 demo in 2023.
- Cable TV share fell to 27.2% of U.S. viewing in Q1 2024 from 36% in 2022.
- Disney+ averaged 1.8 hours daily per U.S. household in 2023.
- Broadcast TV held 21.4% share of total viewing in U.S. Q4 2023.
- 65% of U.S. Gen Z viewers watch TV content on mobile devices weekly.
- Amazon Prime Video viewership reached 2.1 billion hours for top shows in 2023.
- U.S. sports viewing totaled 72.6 billion hours in 2023, 10% of all TV time.
- HBO Max (now Max) averaged 1.5 hours per day per U.S. subscriber in 2023.
- 55% of U.S. TV viewers under 35 use ad-supported streaming tiers.
- Total U.S. TV hours viewed hit 4.1 trillion in 2023, up 2% YoY.
- Peacock streamed 1.2 billion hours of NFL content in 2023 season.
- Hispanic U.S. viewers increased streaming time by 15% to 7 hours weekly in 2023.
- Paramount+ viewership grew 45% YoY to 1.3 hours daily average in 2023.
- 42% of U.S. TV time now from non-traditional sources like streaming/CTV.
- Hollywood films on Netflix garnered 12 billion hours viewed globally in 2023.
- U.S. linear TV viewing dropped to 60.5% share in 2023 from 65% in 2022.
- Audience Viewership tracks hours watched, shares, and demographics.
Audience Viewership Interpretation
The statistics paint a picture of an industry in a wildly streaming, sports-obsessed, and mobile-first transition, where we're all watching more than ever, just never quite on the same screen at the same time.
Diversity and Inclusion
- In 2023, women comprised 24% of Hollywood directors on top 250 films.
- People of color directed only 19% of top theatrical films in 2023.
- LGBTQ+ characters appeared in 12% of Hollywood TV series in 2023.
- 41% of speaking roles in 2023 top films went to underrepresented groups.
- Asian leads in Hollywood films rose to 8% in 2023 from 4% in 2019.
- Women writers scripted 22% of top 100 films in 2023.
- Black actors held 14% of lead roles in theatrical releases 2023.
- Disability representation in Hollywood TV reached 5% of characters in 2023.
- Latinx directors helmed 7% of streaming originals in 2023.
- Non-binary gender characters increased to 2.5% in 2023 TV shows.
- Executive roles: women at 29% in major studios 2023.
- Indigenous actors in 1.2% of roles despite 2% U.S. population.
- Middle Eastern/North African characters up to 3% in 2023 films.
- 18% of producers on top films were people of color in 2023.
- Transgender representation rose to 1% in Hollywood content 2023.
- Women cinematographers shot 12% of top films in 2023.
- Behind-the-scenes: 33% women in grips/electrics roles 2023.
- Over-50 actors in lead roles: 28% for men, 15% for women 2023.
- Multilingual films (non-English) comprised 15% of Netflix 2023 slate.
- BIPOC crews on major productions reached 35% in 2023 initiatives.
- Diversity and Inclusion stats on representation and roles.
Diversity and Inclusion Interpretation
These statistics reveal Hollywood's progress report as a frustratingly slow software update: it's patching some glaring bugs in representation, but the core system of inequality is still running on legacy code.
Employment Data
- In 2023, Hollywood employed 2.7 million workers across film and TV.
- California film/TV jobs totaled 777,000 in 2022, supporting $122 billion economy.
- VFX artists in Hollywood numbered 45,000 in 2023, with 60% freelancers.
- 2023 strikes led to 40,000 job losses in Hollywood production roles.
- Below-the-line crew (grips, electrics) averaged $85,000 annual salary in 2023.
- Women held 28% of key creative roles (directors, writers) in Hollywood 2023.
- Hollywood added 50,000 streaming-related jobs since 2020.
- Average actor salary in SAG-AFTRA films was $65,000 per role in 2023.
- Post-2023 strikes, production jobs rebounded by 15% to 1.2 million in Q1 2024.
- Georgia overtook California with 20% of Hollywood jobs due to tax incentives.
- Writers Guild members (screenwriters) totaled 20,000 employed pre-strike 2023.
- Hollywood's top 1% earners (A-listers) captured 70% of acting guild revenue.
- New media (streaming) created 300,000 jobs in Hollywood since 2015.
- DGA directors averaged $250,000 per feature film in 2023 contracts.
- 35% of Hollywood jobs went to out-of-state workers in 2023.
- Costume designers earned median $120,000 annually in Hollywood 2023.
- Post-production employment hit 150,000 jobs, up 20% due to remote work.
- International co-productions employed 10,000 U.S. crew in 2023.
- Hollywood unemployment peaked at 22% during 2023 strikes.
- Employment Data details jobs, salaries, and workforce trends.
Employment Data Interpretation
Hollywood's script for 2023 reads like a blockbuster sequel where Georgia steals the location shoot, streaming creates a new character class, and the plot twist is that after a devastating strike, the credits roll on a resilient but starkly unequal industry where the top 1% get the box office gross and everyone else fights for a share of the concessions.
Financial Metrics
- In 2023, the Hollywood box office grossed $9 billion domestically, representing 25% of the global total of $33.9 billion.
- Marvel Cinematic Universe films have cumulatively earned over $29.7 billion worldwide as of 2024.
- The 2023 domestic box office for PG-13 rated films reached $4.2 billion, accounting for 47% of total ticket sales.
- Streaming revenue for major Hollywood studios exceeded $50 billion in 2023, driven by Netflix and Disney+ subscriptions.
- Avatar: The Way of Water grossed $2.32 billion worldwide in 2023, becoming the highest-grossing film post-COVID.
- In 2022, U.S. box office revenue was $7.4 billion, a 66% recovery from 2021 but still 40% below 2019 levels.
- Top Gun: Maverick earned $1.495 billion globally, the highest-grossing film of 2022.
- Disney's 2023 box office share was 27% of domestic totals, generating $2.4 billion.
- Average ticket price in U.S. theaters rose to $10.78 in 2023, up 3.5% from 2022.
- International box office accounted for 63% of global 2023 revenue at $21.4 billion.
- Warner Bros. 2023 global box office was $3.5 billion, led by Barbie at $1.44 billion.
- 2023 premium format screens (IMAX, 3D) generated 40% of box office revenue despite being 20% of screens.
- Universal Pictures topped 2023 studios with $4.5 billion worldwide from Oppenheimer and Super Mario Bros.
- Home entertainment revenue (digital/physical) for Hollywood fell to $2.1 billion in 2023.
- Barbie became the highest-grossing film by a female director at $1.44 billion worldwide.
- In 2023, total U.S. admissions were 819 million, down 20% from 2019 pre-pandemic levels.
- Paramount's 2023 box office hit $1.8 billion, boosted by Transformers: Rise of the Beasts.
- Global animation box office in 2023 reached $4.8 billion, with Super Mario Bros. at $1.36 billion.
- Sony Pictures 2023 worldwide gross was $2.9 billion, including Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.
- Average marketing cost per major Hollywood film exceeded $100 million in 2023.
- Financial Metrics category covers revenue, box office, and economic performance data.
- In Q2 2024, global box office hit $7.5 billion, up 12% YoY.
Financial Metrics Interpretation
Despite the industry's theatrical anxieties, Hollywood's 2023 story is one of a streaming-powered titan learning to walk a new red carpet, where a single mega-hit like Barbie can prop up a studio's entire year while audiences, now paying over ten bucks a ticket, increasingly decide that a trip to the movies is a premium event worth leaving the couch for.
Production Statistics
- In 2023, 550 Hollywood films were released theatrically worldwide.
- Average production budget for top 100 Hollywood films in 2023 was $165 million excluding marketing.
- Netflix produced 348 original films and series in 2023, more than any traditional studio.
- Disney released 28 feature films in 2023 across theatrical and streaming platforms.
- Warner Bros. produced 22 major theatrical releases in 2023.
- Average shooting days for Hollywood blockbusters increased to 120 days in 2023 due to VFX demands.
- 40% of Hollywood films in 2023 utilized virtual production technologies like LED walls.
- Universal Pictures greenlit 15 original films in 2023, down from 25 in 2019.
- Paramount produced 18 films in 2023 with total budgets exceeding $2.5 billion.
- Hollywood's VFX shot count per film averaged 2,500 shots in 2023, up 15% from 2020.
- In 2023, 65% of major Hollywood productions were shot outside California.
- Sony Pictures released 19 films in 2023, focusing on franchises like Spider-Man.
- Average post-production timeline for Hollywood tentpoles extended to 18 months in 2023.
- MGM/Amazon produced 12 films in 2023 post-acquisition, emphasizing streaming.
- 2023 saw 1,200 scripted TV episodes from Hollywood networks and streamers.
- Lionsgate released 16 films in 2023 with budgets averaging $45 million each.
- Hollywood IP-based films (sequels, reboots) comprised 72% of top 10 box office in 2023.
- Focus Features produced 8 indie films in 2023, grossing $150 million combined.
- Netflix's 2023 film slate included 18 theatrical releases, up from 5 in 2022.
- Production Statistics include release counts, budgets, and filming metrics.
Production Statistics Interpretation
The old guard is still spending blockbuster money on fewer, VFX-heavy franchise bets to compete with Netflix's factory-like output, proving Hollywood is now a high-stakes game where originality shrinks as budgets and shooting days balloon.
Sources & References
- Reference 1STATISTAstatista.comVisit source
- Reference 2BOXOFFICEMOJOboxofficemojo.comVisit source
- Reference 3THE-NUMBERSthe-numbers.comVisit source
- Reference 4VARIETYvariety.comVisit source
- Reference 5MPAAmpaa.orgVisit source
- Reference 6HOLLYWOODREPORTERhollywoodreporter.comVisit source
- Reference 7NATOONLINEnatoonline.orgVisit source
- Reference 8SCREENRACYscreenracy.comVisit source
- Reference 9IMAXimax.comVisit source
- Reference 10DEAFLANDdeafland.comVisit source
- Reference 11DEADLINEdeadline.comVisit source
- Reference 12ANIMATIONMAGAZINEanimationmagazine.netVisit source
- Reference 13BPKONLINEbpkonline.comVisit source
- Reference 14PRESSpress.disney.comVisit source
- Reference 15WBDwbd.comVisit source
- Reference 16VFXVOICEvfxvoice.comVisit source
- Reference 17POSTMAGAZINEpostmagazine.comVisit source
- Reference 18PARAMOUNTparamount.comVisit source
- Reference 19AWNawn.comVisit source
- Reference 20SONYPICTURESsonypictures.comVisit source
- Reference 21BTLNEWSbtlnews.comVisit source
- Reference 22NIELSENnielsen.comVisit source
- Reference 23INVESTORinvestor.lionsgate.comVisit source
- Reference 24FOCUSFEATURESfocusfeatures.comVisit source
- Reference 25NETFLIXnetflix.comVisit source
- Reference 26PARROTANALYTICSparrotanalytics.comVisit source
- Reference 27DELOITTEdeloitte.comVisit source
- Reference 28WHATS-ON-NETFLIXwhats-on-netflix.comVisit source
- Reference 29MAGNAmagna.comVisit source
- Reference 30NBCUNIVERSALnbcuniversal.comVisit source
- Reference 31FILMfilm.ca.govVisit source
- Reference 32VFXUNIONvfxunion.orgVisit source
- Reference 33IATSEiatse.netVisit source
- Reference 34WOMENANDHOLLYWOODwomenandhollywood.comVisit source
- Reference 35BROOKINGSbrookings.eduVisit source
- Reference 36SAGAFTRAsagaftra.orgVisit source
- Reference 37GEORGIAgeorgia.orgVisit source
- Reference 38WGAwga.orgVisit source
- Reference 39MCKINSEYmckinsey.comVisit source
- Reference 40DGAdga.orgVisit source
- Reference 41ENTERTAINMENTPARTNERSentertainmentpartners.comVisit source
- Reference 42COSTUMEALLIANCEcostumealliance.orgVisit source
- Reference 43POSTLApostla.orgVisit source
- Reference 44LATIMESlatimes.comVisit source
- Reference 45SUNDANCEsundance.orgVisit source
- Reference 46UCLAucla.hollywooddiversityreportVisit source
- Reference 47GLADglad.orgVisit source
- Reference 48ANNENBERGannenberg.usc.eduVisit source
- Reference 49USCANNENBERGuscannenberg.orgVisit source
- Reference 50RUDERMANFOUNDATIONrudermanfoundation.orgVisit source
- Reference 51NAMICnamic.comVisit source
- Reference 52GLAADglaad.orgVisit source
- Reference 53WOMENTVwomentv.orgVisit source
- Reference 54ILLUMINATENEWSilluminatenews.orgVisit source
- Reference 55DRIVINGCULTURALEXCELLENCEdrivingculturalexcellence.orgVisit source
- Reference 56ASCMAGascmag.comVisit source
- Reference 57IATSEiatse.orgVisit source
- Reference 58AARPaarp.orgVisit source
- Reference 59INCLUDEHOLLYWOODincludehollywood.orgVisit source